Elsevier

Diabetes & Metabolism

Volume 29, Issue 3, June 2003, Pages 289-295
Diabetes & Metabolism

Preliminary report
Fish oil prevents the adrenal activation elicited by mental stress in healthy men

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1262-3636(07)70039-3Get rights and content

Summary

Objectives

A diet rich in n-3 fatty acids (fish oils) is associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, but the mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Sympathoadrenal activation is postulated to be involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases, and may be inhibited by n-3 fatty acids. We therefore evaluated the effects of a diet supplemented with n-3 fatty acids on the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and of stress hormones elicited by a mental stress.

Methods

Seven human volunteers were studied on two occasions, before and after 3 weeks of supplementation with 7.2 g/day fish oil. On each occasion, the concentrations of plasma cortisol, and catecholamines, energy expenditure (indirect calorimetry), and adipose tissue lipolysis (plasma non esterified fatty acid concentrations) were monitored in basal conditions followed by a 30 min mental stress (mental arithmetics and Stroop's test) and a 30 min recovery period.

Results

In control conditions, mental stress significantly increased heart rate, mean blood pressure, and energy expenditure. It increased plasma epinephrine from 60.9 ± 6.2 to 89.3 ± 16.1 pg/ml (p < 0.05), plasma cortisol from 291 ± 32 to 372 ± 37 μmol/l (p < 0.05) and plasma non esterified fatty acids from 409 ± 113 to 544 ± 89 μmol/l (p < 0.05). After 3 weeks of a diet supplemented with n-3 fatty acids, the stimulation by mental stress of plasma epinephrine, cortisol, energy expenditure, and plasma non esterified fatty acids concentrations, were all significantly blunted.

Conclusion

Supplementation with n-3 fatty acids inhibits the adrenal activation elicited by a mental stress, presumably through effects exerted at the level of the central nervous system.

Résumé

Atténuation de l'activation de l'axe hypothalamo-hypophyso-surrénalien par une supplémentation en huiles de poisson chez l'homme

Objectif

Une alimentation riche en acides gras de la série n-3 est associée à un risque réduit de maladies cardiovasculaires et métaboliques, mais la nature de cette association reste inconnue. Comme une stimulation de l'axe hypothalamo-hypophyso-surrénalien pourrait jouer un rôle dans la pathogenèse de ces maladies, il est possible que les acides gras de la série n-3 agissent en diminuant la sécrétion d'hormones de stress.

Méthode

Sept volontaires sains ont été étudiés à deux reprises, avant et après 3 semaines de supplémentation par 7,2 g/jour d'huile de poisson. A chaque occasion, les concentrations plasmatiques de cortisol et catécholamines et des acides gras libres ainsi que les dépenses d'énergie ont été mesurées en conditions de repos après une nuit de jeûne pendant un stress mental de 30 minutes et pendant une période de récupération de 30 minutes.

Résultats

Sous supplémentation, le stress mental a augmenté la fréquence cardiaque, la pression artérielle moyenne et les dépenses d'énergie. Les concentrations d'adrénaline ont augmenté de 60,9 ± 6,2 à 89,3 ± 16,1 pg/ml (p < 0,05), celles de cortisol de 291 ± 32 à 372 ± 37 μmol/l (p < 0,05) et celles d'acides gras libres de 409 ± 113 à 544 ± 89 μmol/l (p < 0,05). Après supplémentation en acides gras de la série n-3, les augmentations d'adrénaline, de cortisol, d'acides gras et des dépenses énergétiques étaient toutes significativement réduites.

Conclusions

Une supplémentation en acides gras de la série n-3 réduit la stimulation surrénalienne au cours d'un stress mental.

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